Morristown Hosts Statewide Gathering To Combat Hunger, Food Waste

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Business leaders, nonprofit organizations and state officials gathered in Morristown to highlight a statewide effort that has recovered more than 1 million prepared meals for people facing food insecurity.

The Meal Recovery Coalition held its annual gathering, "The Value of a Meal," at Sanofi US in Morristown, bringing together representatives from businesses, government agencies, universities and nonprofit organizations to discuss ways to combat hunger while reducing food waste.

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The event focused on the benefits of meal recovery programs, which collect safe, surplus prepared meals from commercial kitchens, cafeterias and caterers and redistribute them to people in need rather than sending the food to landfills.

"Prepared meals play a unique role in fighting food insecurity because they are ready to eat and immediately accessible to people who may not have a kitchen, the time to cook or the resources to prepare a meal," said Hélène Lanctuit, co-chair of the Meal Recovery Coalition.

"The value of a meal extends far beyond nourishment. It creates stability for families, supports health and well-being, strengthens community connections and helps nonprofits serve more people," Lanctuit added.

The Morristown gathering featured remarks from Assemblywoman Marisa Sweeney and Mark Dinglasan, executive director of the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate.

A panel discussion moderated by Tara Colton, chief economic security officer at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, explored the health, environmental and social impacts of recovering prepared meals.

Sanofi, which hosted the gathering, is among several major companies participating in the coalition's efforts.

"At Sanofi, we believe improving health starts with supporting the communities where we live and work," said Diana Blankman, head of corporate social responsibility at Sanofi.

"We are proud to host this year's Meal Recovery Coalition event and support a partnership that is creating measurable impact across New Jersey," Blankman added.

Established in 2024, the Meal Recovery Coalition works with corporations, hospitals, food service providers and nonprofits to recover meals that would otherwise go to waste.

The coalition announced that meal recovery programs across New Jersey have collectively recovered more than 1 million meals through those partnerships.

A report released in conjunction with the Morristown event, titled "The Value of a Meal," examined how food insecurity contributes to increased health risks, higher healthcare costs, and financial stress on families.

The analysis also highlighted the importance of ready-to-eat meals for individuals experiencing homelessness, people living in transitional housing, and others without reliable access to cooking facilities.

The coalition was formed through the efforts of Princeton-based nonprofit Share My Meals. Its members include Sanofi, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, Capital Health and RWJBarnabas Health, among others.

Participating organizations have also included nourish.NJ, Table to Table and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

Now in its third year, the coalition is working to expand meal recovery partnerships and establish common food safety standards throughout New Jersey.

Its long-term goal is to ensure that all safe, surplus prepared meals generated by commercial kitchens across the state reach people who need them instead of being discarded.

For more information, visit mealrecoverycoalition.org.